Need to read error codes from my Mercury Verado

DaveB

Long Jeep Fan
Location
Holladay, Utah
My Mercury Verado isn't running right and I need to read out the error codes. Does anyone have one of the marine code readers I could borrow or bring the boat to ? I looked online and the prices were crazy.
 

DaveB

Long Jeep Fan
Location
Holladay, Utah
After reading a lot of posts on the Verado sites I did more testing and I think I have it figured out. Its a couple of things one the battery is not in good shape and I have a dead coil or plug. It won't start when warm which turns out to be the battery. It was also showing codes but none of them made sense. The voltage drops too low while cranking to keep the computer happy and that's the weird codes and lack of starting. With a jump box on the battery it starts but runs rough. I unplugged each coil one at a time and one of them didn't make it run worse pinpointing the bad coil/plug. Compression tests all came out good as well as fuel pressure tests. Parts are on order so hopefully I'll get back on the lake soon. Over the 24th we were at Scofield when this problem first showed up. Luckily the trolling motor worked great so we could go fishing but loading the boat was tricky with just a trolling motor.
 

DaveB

Long Jeep Fan
Location
Holladay, Utah
Well I have an update to this issue, I bought the new parts and tested it shortly in the fall before putting it away for winter. Bought a new battery for it and we headed to Yuba for spring break. When we launched it the same issue showed up even worse. It would only start when it was cold and then it would only start once per day. Used the trolling motor for the trip and came home. Rechecked everything and found nothing wrong with the sensors, fuel pressure and computer. The new plugs were sooty black from running way too rich. Was about to take it in to the dealer but asked a question on one of the Verado websites. The first answer that came in ended up being the problem. The fuel module on these things has two pumps and a regulator in the fuel module. The fuel pressure was fine and the fuel was being drawn into the module and shutting off correctly. The regulator however has a vacuum line going to it inside the fuel module and that line was cracked badly. This allowed the engine to get extra air into the intake causing a lean burn, then once the fuel module filled up the busted line would allow the motor to suck gas into the motor through the intake causing the rich burn problem. This explained the weird error codes that didn't make sense and why it would only start after sitting over night. A new hose and its running correctly now.
 
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